


Art, craft and decoration in the Blake's 7 series

by JackieSBlake7



Category: Blake's 7
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-15
Updated: 2016-06-15
Packaged: 2018-07-15 07:05:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7212658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JackieSBlake7/pseuds/JackieSBlake7
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A listing of the decorative aspects (other than costume) to be spotted in the various episodes, that originated on the discussion groups.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Art, craft and decoration in the Blake's 7 series

This is a brief listing and discussion of art (in all its formats) and decoration as shown in the series.

Perhaps what is most surprising is the relatively limited presence of art and minor ornament even in contexts where it would normally be expected now – such as ‘military art’ in Space Command. The few examples we see of ‘domestic interiors’, mostly cabins, have little in the way of personal knickknacks and ornaments. There is, in fact, a general lack of ‘background artefacts’ such as would be found today – down to the level of the equivalents of ‘sticky notes’, charts and posters. Cally and Tynus produce art, which does not decorate their (or their associates’) walls. Nor is there much in the way of general signage where it might be expected – eg in the industrial complexes/bases visited, or Space Command itself: in the present day there would be ‘Health and Safety’ notices, ‘Emergency Exit’ signs and similar in such locators.

The use of colour coding of corridors (the Ortega and Central Control), and numbering of sections (the dome in The Way Back and the base on Albian), implies that this could be a normal process.

Most of the artwork, in fact, seems to be associated with those who live outside the Federation’s normal systems, from Sarkoff to Egrorian (their collections being the only point of similarity).

Spaceships, domes and other places seem to use structural components as design elements, and in a number of cases this can be quite pleasing. There are a wide range of lamps and other lighting. Servalan’s choice of lighting is particularly eclectic wherever she goes, even in the thatched cottage near the Forbidden Zone. A variety of chairs and, more variably, decorative textiles are evident.

There does not appear to be a bar on representation of the human form in art in the Federation period – notably the ‘family snapshots’ Marriott carries with him and the large portrait of Servalan admired in ‘Traitor.’ However, the various rebels met are not instantly visually recognisable, even if their names are. Senior military and administrative figures have their images on record – Blake is able to recognise Servalan on first meeting her – and ‘Starkiller’ is recognised by soldiers who have not had the opportunity to meet him before.

Spaceships  
In general spaceships, particularly military ones, would tend to be functional rather than decorative.  
Spaceships (and other places) use colour coding for activator buttons.  
It might be expected that the Ortega (probably normally a carrier of agricultural goods) would have a couple of ‘Destiny Tourist Board/Agricultural Board’ posters, and that the Space Princess would have ‘sights of the galaxy artworks’ but they do not. Nor does Space Command have such things as ‘generic military portraits’ and images of historic victories and famous spaceships.

Certain aspects of the Liberator, however, appear to have a decorative aspect. These would include the panels on the walls of the flight deck that contain swirling patterns of colour, and the panels behind the teleport operators are not explained, but do not appear to have directly functional purposes. The Liberator has an internal structure that is noticeably based on hexagons not present elsewhere (of which there are only minimal appearances on Spaceworld).

Architecture  
We are shown only a few examples of large buildings which have an architectural design component.  
Domes are used on occasion: Earth, Chenga and Malodaar. In the last case the domes provide protection against a hostile environment, and are probably so found elsewhere.  
The industrial and communications complexes, prisons, and spacecraft associated buildings we are shown are presumably entirely functional in design (despite the above mentioned general lack of signage). However it should be noted that the base on Centreo seems peculiarly ill designed for effective monitoring by the robot patrol – there are several places in which saboteurs could easily hide, and a ladder which allows people to go above the robot’s line of fire.  
Vila on Cygnus Alpha describes the building housing Vargas and his people as being ‘Early Maniac’ in style. It is not clear who would have constructed the building (nor what ‘Middle Maniac’ and ‘Late Maniac’ might look like).  
The base of ‘The Lost’ in ‘The Web’ appears to be partially decorative in design.  
The building in which Sarkoff is spending his exile appears to continue the tradition of the architectural folly of a previous period on Earth.  
Auron and the City at the Edge of the World provide the nearest to large scale civilian developments – but neither has any artistic objects (though the latter locality is effectively abandoned).  
Exbar has a ‘tower’ (though, given the atmospheric constraints another shape might have been more appropriate).  
The cubic construct on Terminal that Avon is led to seems to merely cover the ‘pit-head,’ and, perhaps, serve as a reflective beacon for those approaching the base.  
The bases of Dorian, the Space Rats and Blake on Gauda Prime would, for obvious reasons, be mostly hidden: the contents might be somewhat eclectic and depend upon contacts rather than personal taste.

Religious and commemorative art  
There is evidence of the persistence of religion in the time of B7. Kara’s reference to being a servant of god is immediately understood, while it is the word ‘church’ that Gan does not recognise. Vila refers to Armageddon, Blake tells Provine he expects to see him in hell etc. (It may be that organised religion – rather than personal faith – was what was banned.)  
Apart from verbal references to religion, the only ‘active religious construct’ in the Federation domains is the ‘chapel’ of Cygnus Alpha. Other examples are ‘not of the Federation’: the monument and grave markers of the planet of ‘Duel’, the obelisk on Aristo, presumably a relic of the earlier civilisation mentioned by Zen, rather than a Phibian construct, and the spaceship/tomb in Sarcophagus would fall into this category. The Mecronian place of worship is not clearly defined.

Military art  
One thing that is noticeable by its absence is ‘military art.’ As mentioned above there is nothing in Space Command (consider your local military museum for the range of items that would normally be expected) – not even in Supreme Commander Servalan’s office. The walls and furnishings of Space Command seems to be mainly white, with some exceptions, such as the black with vertical white stripes of the judge’s podium in ‘Trial.’  
Given that there are several coups (Servalan in Star One’ the events of ‘Rumours of Death’ and the events mentioned in ‘Traitor’) it can be assumed that there is a relatively high turnover of senior personnel. This may make the keeping of images of present leaders a sometimes risky process.

Music  
It is impossible to make any generalisations about music in the period shown – beyond saying that background music (on the Space Princess in ‘Gold’) and personal audio-visual players (the clerk of the records in ‘The Way Back’, Gan and Cally) exist. The origin of Dayna’s lyre in ‘Sarcophagus’ is not indicated – but her playing appears to indicate that music in the West European tradition can still be found. Religious music does exist – in Vargas’ community and among the Mecronians.

Servalan’s taste for art.  
Seems to be rather eclectic and possibly ‘generic government art.’ She seems to have a taste for decorative light fittings. Other objects include the step pyramid on her monitor in her office as Supreme Commander and the range of objects seen in her Presidential office at Residence One in Rumours of Death.

There are a number of examples of what could be described as decorative ornament than art proper – though in some cases they could be both. Thus, in the Star One complex the decorative grid probably conceals ventilation ducts, the vertical ‘branching’ near the exit may have something to do with heating and the pairs of vertical artefacts bracketing the exit door and the door of the room in which Lurena hides could be associated with energy or other barriers.

Art and those in exile  
This seems to be fairly diverse in nature. Sarkoff has a ‘major collection’ of objects persisting from the Twentieth Century – including advertisements, a portrait of Winston Churchill and a carved elephant. Ensor has his mechanical singing bird, and Egrorian has a collection of white glazed objects, along with an artificial flower.

Art outside the Federation  
We see a number of societies which effectively exist outside the Federation, several of which display art in various forms. There is Sinofar and Giroc’s society monumental art, while Giroc uses a staff with a carved creature as an ornament.  
The obelisk in ‘Orac’ (possibly set up by those who constructed the underground tunnels, but unweathered if it is) appears to be unmarked.  
There are examples of textile art in a number of episodes – mostly carpets and wall hangings.

With the ‘primitive’ societies we are shown (Deliverance, Horizon, The Keeper, Aftermath, Powerplay, Power) the information is varied and limited. It is to be presumed that the Sarrans in Aftermath and the Lo-techs in Powerplay will have their own artistic traditions. The scavengers in Deliverance appear to concentrate primarily on survival. 

In the following discussion of art and objects showing evidence of design no assumptions are made as to where the objects originated, or how they came to be at their shown locations.

The Way Back  
The Justice Machine is a very stylised scales of justice.  
It is interesting to compare the two courts of justice shown – the civilian one in ‘The Way Back’ and the military one in ‘Trial.’ This may result from their different locations (Earth and Space Command). The court of TWB may have been devised for ‘quick and efficient’ justice, while the room in which Travis argues his fate, in which the presiding figures have a dominating position may also serve other purposes.  
In one of the dome’s public corridors there are some abstract white ovoid objects, which could be a sculpture, but it is not clear who would appreciate them.  
The Dome on Earth in ‘The Way Back’ is shown from both within and without. It is to be presumed that the areas lit up from outside belong to the higher ranks of society rather than those who move in the sterile white corridors.

Space Fall  
The panels showing swirling colours on the flight deck walls of the yet-to-be-named Liberator could be seen as art of sort. It is not clear how much of the surface detail within the Liberator is purely functional and what can be seen as art as such (though good design is, of course, often attractive). The purpose of the panels behind the teleport desk is not explained – and there appears to be no obvious reason for the hexagonal ‘windows’ in internal walls.

Cygnus Alpha  
There are only two constructions shown on Cygnus Alpha. One is the docking area/holding bay which serves the London (and which probably also contains some repair facilities), and which would be purely functional. The other is the building whose style is described by Vila as ‘Early Maniac’, and which appears to contain all the requirements of the community.  
It is to be assumed the saltaire (‘X’) cross and circle on the message by the door is the symbol of the community. The chapel of the community seems to be fairly well stocked with designed objects. A rather attractive flat woven carpet, principally red in colour, covers one of the tables, while the altar has a pile carpet. A locked wooden cabinet holds the tablets to be given to new arrivals. On the wall is a helmeted bust representing the god of the community. The altar plate and candlesticks appear to be base metal. At least some of this material would have been made during the lifetimes of the users – which suggests that more resources are available to the community than the bleak landscape seen would suggest.

Time Squad  
One of the few signs visible – the ‘No entry’ on the gate into the complex (who is it aimed at?).

Seek-Locate-Destroy  
Servalan has a variety of objects, most notably the pyramid construction, which regularly appear. She does, however change her lighting features in most episodes.

Project Avalon  
There is the ‘screen of moving circles’ (which Travis motions someone blocking his line of sight away from).

Orac  
There is the previously mentioned Obelisk.  
Ensor has his mechanical bird. The plants in his base were possibly supplied by Dorian, who similarly decorates his own base.  
The maps may be used by Orac to navigate its flyer.

Redemption  
Spaceworld has a double seven-fold crown appearance, but the interior does not reflect the same design principle.

Shadow  
The wall panels of Space City seem to be partially decorative in design (look carefully at the panels in Largo’s room), though the same white as other interiors in the Federation. Largo also has an abstract artwork in his presence room.

Horizon  
Ro’s palace is variously decorated.  
The walls contain multi-coloured sections: these may be existing mineral deposits, or applied (in which case they are probably mineral pigments). Parts of the walls, and the columns are carved. Ro’s throne has abstract designs carved on it, which resemble some of the symbols used in pre-Columbian Latin America.

Pressurepoint  
Servalan has her coloured lights with her.  
Even if Central Control is decommissioned there should be more equipment (light switches, fire extinguishers etc).

Killer  
Tynus has two decorative objects on his wall – a square with geometric designs and mirror elements, and a triangle with coloured segments. He is one of the three artists shown.

Hostage  
The edge of something decorative on the wall can be seen behind one of the chairs in Servalan’s office.

Gambit  
Most of the ‘art’ can be found in Krantor’s personal domain, much of which is an eclectic mix that bears little relationship to the Regency period (early 19th century Britain) that he is trying to match in his dress. There are mouldings on the door and walls, the usual exotic lamps, and various statues and mannequins, along with metallic coated fruit and plant constructs. The spiral staircase is definitely #not# of the Regency period.  
Chenie’s bar, apart from the bottles of coloured drinks used as decoration, contains two mirror wall plaques.  
It is to be presumed the streamers and tinsel to be seen outside Chenie’s bar are connected to Krantor’s Carnival.  
There is a (somewhat unreadable) sign outside Chenie’s bar saying ‘Level Two.’

The Keeper  
Wall decorations, furniture and a carpet.

Star One  
Several of the wall features seem to be decorative as well as functional – but no art to liven up permanent exile.

Aftermath  
There are more fancy lights. The curtains around the walls of Dayna’s room have a pattern at the top, and there are other decorative features.

Powerplay  
The two Low-Techs have highly decorated costumes, the breastplates of which have appear to have images.  
The High-Techs’ dome again appears to use functional elements decoratively.

Volcano  
The Pyroans decorate their walls – spirals and other geometric shapes, while one of the doors seems to have a holographic coating.  
The images on the walls of Servalan’s ship would, from their position, probably be maps of various kinds.

Dawn of the Gods  
The Thaarn displays a sequence of astronomical and planetary surface images while talking to Cally, which appears to be more than a counterpart to his comments on gravity. The black wall coverings have stencilled white flowers on them.

City at the Edge of the World  
The city has various decorative wall elements – mouldings that stick out from the flat surface, triangular overlays and vertical/squared patterns, the latter being repeated in the ship, at one point allowing a coloured light to show through.

Children of Auron  
More decorative wall patterns: a honeycomb pattern and horizontal stripes (with the main colours red or white) in the Auron base, and a ‘flame’ pattern on a corridor wall in Servalan’s ship.  
In the Auron centre there are two framed decorative images – a geometric design and a 3-D circular design.

Rumours of Death  
The Presidential palace has one of the largest collections of objects, a number of which would appear to be older than the objects in Sarkoff’s collection – which might explain why the place cost the equivalent of two cities.  
In the security command area there is a rather ornate fireplace with plaster moulding.  
In the banqueting hall there are various paintings – dogs, ‘horse portraits’ and a battle scene. There are also decorative pillars and half-tables against the walls.  
Apart from trays and a lamp Servalan has a nude female statuette and a carving on her desk. There are two busts on some shelves, and what may be decorative objects on the wall – one of which could be a pinboard with a grid design and a wall mounted paper rack.  
Elsewhere in the building are a landscape and a portrait of a man in what may be hunting scarlet – there is a horse and rider model beneath him.

Sarcophagus  
The building/spaceship is at least partially decorative rather than functional.  
The floor of the room within the building/spacecraft has a triangle with twelve irregularly spaced rays extending from it. There are various metal constructs inside the room whose function is unclear.  
The lights in Cally’s room seem to have a decorative function as well as providing illumination, and there is a 3-D construct on a wall. She is one of the three artists shown.

Ultraworld  
The Ultras appear to go in for coloured lit switches and pushbuttons as well. While many of the wall furnishings seen may be computer components, there are the cone and cylinders outside the Ultras’ room – which may be functional markers, while the lighting in the Ultras’ room may be partially decorative. As elsewhere, the walls are moulded, and seemingly decorative design may have functional applications.

Moloch  
More fancy lighting, grill dividers, and decorative wall design: a squared pattern for the latter. When we first see Grose he has a decorative object on his desk, which may be part of the dinner service for the meal with Servalan.  
Given the isolationism of the planet’s inhabitants – partially accidental, partially deliberate (though given that Orac is able to access some information on the planet, its inhabitants and their plans, not total) it might be expected that some cultural artefacts would have been created, even in the limited areas seen.

Terminal  
The pyramid enclosing the GPS unit is decorative as well as practical.  
The mine shaft cover is probably functional rather than decorative in that it could provide a means of locating the base, reflecting the sun. If a symmetric construct, the lowermost square of the 1-3-5-3 shape would be below ground level.  
There are the usual selection of wall patterns – those in the room Servalan occupies look like 20th century computer chips. Lighting is placed behind glass-cube tiling or grills. Several of the doorways etc are based on a modified or partial hexagonal structure. Servalan’s room contains some bowls of plants – one of their several indoor placings.

Rescue  
Xenon base has a number of plants in wall hangings, which are kept by the new owners, but Dorian does not seem to have been a collector of anything in particular.

Power  
Gunn-Sar’s chamber has an angular ‘wave’ pattern carved in the walls (which may be otherwise left in the rough or partially fashioned – it is difficult to tell), a knot pattern on the door, and a pair of windows with an abstract design of coloured glass squares. There is more coloured glass in Cato’s chamber (this time with revolving lights behind it).  
Gunn-Sar is the third shown artist/designer in the series, with his embroidery. There is also a black and gold two-sided cloth used to cover his body at the end of the episode, which is more in keeping with local production than the range of colours used in the window would be beyond the apparent level of chemical knowledge of the Hommicks (which may imply that the set-up is far more complex than Pella’s or Cato’s presentations).

Traitor  
More lights – ‘columns’ of vertically placed red, white and yellow strip lamps, with ropes of flashing lamps. In Praetor’s chamber a zigzag pattern divides the walls into two differently coloured sections. Glass ‘icicles’ hang from the ceiling as a design feature, and there are several paintings on the walls of a semi-abstract nature – one may be a bird and flower. There is also the image of Supreme Empress Servalan.  
Forbus’ laboratory has its own fancy lighting: the protruding dots on the wall may be part of a fixing system.

Stardrive  
The Space Rats appear to go in for personal decoration (hair, facepaints, and clothing) as their main form of artistic expression (some of which may indicate group allegiances). It is probable that their ships would also contain a measure of decoration for the same purposes. The main room has dark-painted walls, and the usual range of soft furnishing, including the metallic cushions seen elsewhere.  
Some of the symbols seen on the walls in the Space Rats’ base probably have a functional meaning: at a guess the red/fuschia triangles would mark pipes/wiring, and the panels with zigzag designs in Dr Plaxton’s laboratory for access panels. The bodycolour downward-pointing triangles might be a symbol of the previous owners of the base - or of the walling manufacturer.

Animals  
What is shown of Justin’s base and laboratory is functional rather than decorative.  
The flight deck of Servalan’s ship is shown, and is decorated. There are vertically striped brown, wallpaper, a honeycomb ceiling light and latticework wall lamps. The wall panel with squares and flashing lights is probably some form of equipment.

Headhunter  
Some decorative plants appear on Xenon base again.

Gold  
The Space Princess has decorative tile/equivalents surrounding the doors, and a variety of plants, and one of the few signs, pointing to the Doctor’s Surgery.

Orbit  
Egrorian and Pindar have a variety of decorative objects around their main room. The golden ball on the computer monitor may be a camera link up, and the circular objects on the walls could be lights.  
On the stands are a variety of heads (one made of glass, one has similarities to those used in phrenology, another is ‘classic Roman’). There is a hand, a topless female, a bizarre red and white ‘plant’, and, on the floor, a white-glazed lion.

Warlord  
The room which Soolin and Zeeona retreat to has decorative or functional wall panels and a viewscreen which shows images that can be changed at the touch of a button. There are also two prints/paintings in the corridor – one showing a triangle, and the other some sort of domed construct.

‘Blake’  
The abandoned hut which the group find has decorative tiling – and Blake’s base has a decorative ‘brick red with vertical ochre dashes’ pattern repeated regularly.


End file.
